Do you remember country-pop-rock circa the 1970′s?  If so, then you will recognize the homage paid to that style in newcomer Tara Kelly’s new single, The River (seen/heard here). Reminiscent of the artists of that time, such as Linda Ronstadt, an artist that Kelly has been influenced by, it is a song about infidelity in the strictest form. It’s about the heartache of learning the truth and then dealing with it.

To find out about this song and more, we caught up with Tara Kelly through her marketing agency and asked a few questions:

Vodka: What artists would you say have inspired your musical style the most?

Tara: I’m deeply inspired by Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt who paved the way for artists like me to blend country, southern rock, and pop into one cosmic, American sound. I’m also heavily influenced by Kacey Musgraves, Fleetwood Mac and Brandi Carlile.

Vodka: Does “The River” come from any personal experience?

Tara: “The River” was definitely written from a deeply personal experience. I was dating someone who led me to believe he was falling for me in a very elusive way. His energy was alluring but I always felt like something was out of reach with him – like I could never fully see where he was taking me, or how deep I would be led into his waters, so to speak. I just knew I wanted to keep going, despite the risk it posed. Turned out (like most things) that my gut was right – he was already married and I was completely blindsided. I definitely couldn’t ignore the truth when it was finally staring me in the face.

When I walked into the session the day we wrote it, I already had the title “The River” as a general concept, but wasn’t sure exactly where to take it. I told my co-writers the story and they lit up. Stefan PVDS said “put that pain into this song” and we did. We knew it was something special right away.

Vodka: How has the pandemic affected your ability to perform and market your music?

Tara: The pandemic has been extremely hard for musicians while also a blessing in disguise. I miss playing live more than anything else probably, but it’s also given me the extra time when not playing shows to put my energy into writing and brainstorming. I even had the time to edit my own music video and map out creative concepts for new songs I didn’t think I’d have the turnaround time to achieve pre-COVID. This last year essentially said to all of us – “if this is your dream, you need to take it in whatever form it comes” and I certainly feel lucky to have integrated that message into my art.

Vodka: Is there a plan for a long-player in the works or is that a little ways off?

Tara: Definitely an EP in the works… it may or may not be Joshua Tree themed. 2021 is shaping up to be the perfect time to put those songs into the world. Stay tuned.

The River, then, is a confessional of sorts, on how we sometimes let the heart lead us somewhere, even though our head says that something might be wrong. Our humanity is, and always will be, flawed; Yet we can come out the other side of any situation, washed clean by newfound knowledge, and perhaps a little wiser for it.

While Tara Kelly is a young artist, she shows that she has a grasp on song construction and pop sensibilities that should carry her to new heights in the industry. It’s too soon to say that this will happen, but given the talent exhibited here, it should!

You can find Tara Kelly by heading up to her website, which has all of the social and streaming links you require, but no biography as yet on any of her sites. She has an active social media presence, so join her on your preferred platform. Watch for that EP to be released sometime in the near future and grab it when it comes out!

Note: With Covid-19 still around, probably to be with us for some time, artists like Tara Kelly and many others need your purchases to keep their heads above water. If your situation allows it, consider purchasing more in these tough times. –Vodka